by Joaquin Miller (1837 - 1913)
To Russia
Language: English
Who tamed your lawless Tartar blood? What David bearded in her den The Russian bear in ages when You strode your black, unbridled stud, A skin-clad savage of your steppes? Why, one who now sits low and weeps, Why, one who now wails out to you, The Jew, the Jew, the homeless Jew. Who girt the thews of your young prime And bound your fierce divided force? Why, who but Moses shaped your course United down the grooves of time? Your mighty millions all to-day The hated, homeless Jew obey. Who taught all poetry to you? The Jew, the Jew, the hated Jew. Who taught you tender Bible tales Of honey-lands, of milk and wine? Of happy, peaceful Palestine? Of Jordan's holy harvest vales? Who gave the patient Christ? I say, Who gave your Christian creed? Yea, yea, Who gave your very God to you? Your Jew! Your Jew! Your hated Jew!
Text Authorship:
- by Joaquin Miller (1837 - 1913), "To Russia", from The Complete Poetical Works of Joaquin Miller, first published 1897 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Sidney Homer (1864 - 1953), "To Russia", op. 17 (Four Songs) no. 4, published 1906 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-14
Line count: 24
Word count: 152